Advance Notice of Two Noteworthy Productions of the 2011/2012 Opera Season!Verdi’s Il Trovatore and Wagner’s Lohengrin

The New National Theatre, Tokyo, will present Verdi’s Il Trovatore and Wagner’s Lohengrin during its 2011/2012 opera season! In advance of the official notice of the season lineup in late January 2011, we are pleased to announce these first two noteworthy productions of the season.

Artistic Director Otaka Tadaaki will open the 2011/2012 opera season—his second season at the helm—with Verdi’s Il Trovatore. Set in 15th century Spain, it is a revenge tragedy replete with love and loathing. This work, along with Rigoletto and La Traviata, is from Verdi’s “middle period,” and it is a piece that offers beautiful melodies and a satisfying vocal feast.

This performance will be the first appearance at the New National Theatre, Tokyo by conductor Pietro Rizzo, who has debuted in recent years at the Metropolitan Opera, the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, and elsewhere, and whose future work is highly anticipated. It also marks the first appearance by Ulrich Peters, who has earned acclaim for his consistently strong staging.

Among the cast members, the theatere welcomes Walter Fraccaro, renowned for his strong treble notes, and new American star Takesha Meshé Kizart.

In June 2012, we will be presenting a new production of Wagner’s jewel, Lohengrin, which is based on a medieval legend of the Holy Grail. It is a work that is also famous for having been a favorite of King Ludwig II of Bavaria.

This production features the highly anticipated return of maestro Peter Schneider, whose masterful conducting of Der Rosenkavalier in 2007 remains fresh in our memories.

Overseeing the production will be Matthias von Stegmann, who has demonstrated his exceptional abilities at the New National Theatre, Tokyo.

Klaus Florian Vogt, whose clear, beautiful voice and handsome visage make him one of the most sought-after performers for the role of Lohengrin today, will be donning the costume of the Knight of the Swan.

The 2011/2012 season will offer a diverse array of works that will satisfy the opera novice and the aficionado alike. Please be sure to look for the announcement of the complete 2011/2012 season lineup, coming in late January.